The Eye of the Tiger
by eridania67814
Summary: Byakuen shares his story, as flashback, before he dies. Rating will change
1. Cub Chronicles

They say elephants never forget. As I lay in a growing pool of my own blood here, forgotten in lieu of this battle, I know that I have not forgotten, and there would be much to remember for the story of my life. I miss you, Kaos, and I miss being a kitten. Anything to try to change the way in which I die, or at least the connections with those I will leave behind. I remember being a kitten, playing with my brother in the hills while our mother looked on. I remember a poacher shot my mother, while she was hunting for us, how she made it back, but not beyond that. I remember the cold, hungry nights my brother and I suffered before Kaos's daughter found us and took us in.  
She was about 10 at the time, so interested in animals because the other children didn't interest her. I felt her coming, through the underbrush, her aura pulsing along the ground. And she never had that human stench. My brother and I were well under weight, too tired to go on for the day and would probably have died or been eaten by the next morning had she not come for us. She picked us up and placed us in a cloth bag, as gingerly as she could, and placed the bag on her shoulders, carrying us back to the village. It seemed like a very long walk for her from where we were found until she finally stopped. I was very greatful that she didn't run the entire way as I'm sure my brother and I would have been juggled around painfully. I felt her remove the bag and set it down, then helped my brother and I out of the bag so we could place feet on firm ground again. The girl ran away toward a large stone covering and a figure standing beneath it, embracing the figure as they met. I could hear her voice faintly from where I sat, dazed. My brother only laid down, not paying attention to anything. I'm not sure why, but he was far worse off than I was at this point and I doubted that he would make it.  
"Papa, I found two little ones who needed my help today. Will you come look?"  
"I'll be right there, Makoto." The man's voice echoed in my ears and nearly in my head. I thought to my brother, did you hear that? He was confused, telling me he didn't understand human speech, wondering how I understood it. I was thinking about that very thing as Makoto approached us with a large bowl of water and the leg of a deer.  
"I hope you two aren't too young to eat meat." She set the bowl between my brother and I and I watched as the water sloshed around. She removed a knife from the knapsack on her chest and placed a gash in the leg, clear down the leg and to the bone, then placed it on the ground before me while kneeling. I started to eat from one side, but my brother lay still, breathing lightly. I looked up from the leg at Makoto and a look of worry passed over her face. She scooted over to my brother and placed a hand on his side. I could feel her aura warm and swell and in a few moments my brother's breathing returned to normal. Makoto noticed and smiled, and the warmth subsided and her aura returned to its normal size. Suddenly, my brother rose and snapped at her, nipping at her hand and drawing blood. She drew back, quickly moving to her feet and taking a few slow steps back, then stopped and took her injured hand in the other. Her mouth was open, her face distraught and she whispered, "Why?" I rose and walked to her side, sat next to her and glared at my brother as Makoto's father's strides closed the distance between he and we.  
"Makoto." Simply saying her name made her turn around and hold out her hand to her father's waiting hands. His aura reached out and healed her hand, nearly without leaving a scar. They both kneeled next to me and inspected me, wondering why I responded the way I did, and why my brother responded the way he did. "You'd better go home to your mother before she worries."  
"Mother always worries, papa." But she kneeled down next to me and petted me, asking me if I could run and if I'd go with her. I hoped I could, she seemed so lively and cared so much about me already that I wanted to be as nice to her as I could. The man, Kaos, stayed near my brother, silencing his snarls with the strong aura and tied a long piece of string around his neck, then led him in the direction Makoto and I ran.  
We reached a humble but large home and a woman stood on the porch, her arms crossed on her stomach. "And what rescue mission were you on today, Makoto? You had chores to do and you left me here to take up your slack." She seemed harsh with her words, but her face was covered by a hearty smile. Makoto ran to the woman and hugged her, leaving me off the porch, sitting and watching her point at and speak about me. The woman looked at me, still smiling, then behind me, where Kaos must have been and her expression changed from that of happiness to that of a young girl in love. I looked behind me and saw the soft smile on Kaos's face as he looked at his wife. "Your daughter hurt herself again, didn't she?"  
"Inusya, she is our daughter, mine for the mission she took on, yours for actually getting hurt after it was over." He continued to smile as he walked toward the woman, quickly tying my brother's string to a tree nearby and took Inusya in his arms, twirling her around. I thought it was very sweet that their love was not a façade, and Makoto stood, beaming at the both of them.  
  
I always felt bad that my brother had to be tied up outside with only the porch as a shelter while I slept in Makoto's room, but every chance he gave me, I would tell him how wrong he was for biting the hand that would feed him. I felt quite at home with Kaos, Makoto and Inusya, and decided to respond to the name they gave me, Byakuen. I hear it means white blaze, and I wouldn't think much of it except they named my brother Kokuen-oh, meaning black blaze. I never noticed before, but he looked dingy, even when he was clean. Kaos, however, didn't name him for his color, rather the shadow he attempted to cast.  
Soon, my new family spoke of moving, and I went to speak with my brother about it.  
-They're leaving soon, you know.  
-Yes, they're leaving, I'm sure we won't be going with them, brother. But I suppose that is for the best.  
-I'm sure you're wrong, brother. They will take us with them.  
-I'd rather die than follow them like a pet.  
-That's why they call you Kokuen-oh, you're always trying to bring darkness to a good situation.  
-I will never let them call me by that name.  
-Mother once mentioned it, for you.  
-Then I surely will not let humans call me what Mother would have called me.  
-These people aren't normal humans, Kokuen-oh.  
-And now you call me by that name. You're not human, and you're not Mother.  
I must admit, I was a little hurt by both of those statements, not sure whether Kokuen-oh was insulting me and my new family, or me and Mother. -You watch, they care about us and we will go with them. Well.. Maybe not you.  
With that, Kaosu and Makoto stepped outside, Makoto reaching down to pick me up and pet me.  
"Soon, you won't be able to lift Byakuen, Makoto, so be careful." He paused, watching my brother sulk, sitting somewhat behind the tree to which he was tied. "You know, we cannot take Kokuen-oh with us."  
-I knew it. I told you they were no good.  
"But Byakuen?" Makoto looked hopefully toward Kaos.  
He looked at me, my head turned toward the action and paws resting on Makoto's shoulder. "What do you think?" And he was actually asking me! I bumped Makoto's head with my nose as a sign of approval and Kaos chuckled. "He will come with us. And don't worry about Kokuen-oh, even though he bit you more than once, I will not wish him harm. We just are not the right family for him."  
A little boy about Makoto's age came running up the path to our house from elsewhere in the village, panting. Makoto took notice and smiled at him, then turned to Kokuen-oh, still sulking behind his tree.  
"Kokuen-oh, this is Suree." Suree looked foreign, his skin darker and his hair much thicker than Makoto's. He looked as if he were in a perpetual state of stand-off-ish-ness, and I knew he and my brother would get along well. "Suree will take good care of you." Makoto told my brother as she untied him from his tree. Kokuen-oh stalked over to the boy and looked like he would bite an ankle just for novelty's sake but stopped short. He breathed deeply at the boy's ankles and a smile came over his face like one I've never seen on him before.  
-He smells like mother.  
-Don't be silly.  
-I don't care what you say, I like this guy.  
  
I bid my brother farewell and wondered if I would see him again. 


	2. Family Changes

A/N: I thought I'd do an update while I had an idea in my head. If any of you have read my X-Men story that I should also get around to, you may know I like to shift points of view, so this chapter, to include the battle scene, will have a few breaks in Byakuen's tale to remind you that it's going on. I still don't own them, though I wish I did.

I can't believe Byakuen is dying at my feet. The times this cat has saved me, saved us all through his actions. I am frozen, unable to decide whether to watch Ryo fight or try to help the dying cat. My knees feel warm as the blood soaks through my tights.

"Jun, I don't think we can save him this time." My face shows little to spare the kid as much pain as I can. Gods know we don't need him whining while Ryo fights. As I try to stop the bleeding with my handkerchief, already soaked with rain and blood, I look up to watch Ryo. His grace, his speed, his fury in the fight distracts me, though, if I knew there were something I could do for Byakuen, I would do that. My hand caressed his thick fur, damp from the rain, and I prayed that we would be able to play with him again, to show him gratitude for all he's done for us, continue to have that extra guardian while the war lasts.

We traveled north toward the palace, camping along the way. There were about a dozen men and their families from the village that accompanied us to replace the guards, and more joined our party as we drew near. The fighting was east of the palace, so we hoped no one would ambush us by mistake.

Inusya sat with me one night, away from the rest of the party. I didn't know she wished to talk to me, or that she knew I'd listen and try to comfort her.

"Byakuen, do you know that I will have another baby?" She looked down at me and rubbed my head between my ears. When I looked up at her, she stopped rubbing and continued to talk. "I already feel much weaker than before. Maybe it's strange to tell you before I tell anyone else, but you are the best listener of the whole party." She stopped speaking and sighed and I nudged her leg, urging her to continue, attempted to reassure her. "When I had Makoto, I hoped for a boy. Perhaps that's why she's always getting into trouble like a little boy would, running around, not trying to learn how to cook and such as she should. This time, I feel I will have a boy and make Kaos proud."

I made faces she might understand my discomfort, but she decided to talk some more. She told me about how she left home to be with Kaos, how she missed her family, and with each word, she leaned against me a bit heavier. The men always say women talk too much, but Inusya usually did not. She fell asleep mid-story, I believe she put herself to sleep. I curled around her, trying to keep her warm and purred to soothe her.

Before I fell asleep, Kaos came to us, looking mostly at his wife. The look in his eyes was like I hadn't seen before from a man for any person, that of amazement, of adoration, of true love. He bent down and petted me on my shoulder and gently woke his wife.

"Kaos, can you not leave well enough alone? Byakuen would take care of me just fine." She yawned as she stood and Kaos swung her into his arms.

"I don't doubt Byakuen, but you didn't need to tell him what you should have told me first." He kissed her lips before she could protest. "You're not old enough to fall out of synch with the moon, and I do pay attention to that." I heard her sigh and watched them walk off.

We arrived at the palace before Inusya was unable to travel anymore. I never expected people to live in such elegance at the expense of others, but I believe living with Kaos and his family made me think higher of humans than they deserved. The gold, the animals I hadn't seen in the wild, the servants, the food, it was all so much. And despite the animals in the palace, I was almost not welcome there.

"Sire doesn't have a white tiger, why do you think you should be in possession of one in his presence?"

"I am not in **_possession_** of this tiger. He goes where I go of his own free will." I didn't like this particular guard.

"Well, you and the men and your families can come in, the cat, if he enters, must be a gift to the king."

"I will not give the king something that isn't mine to give, but what you have said presents a bit of a problem. My family is welcome, yet Byakuen, part of my family, is not."

"Feel free to set up an appointment to see the king and ask his permission."

Kaos looked down at me, and I took that as a signal. He leapt onto my back and we rushed the gates. Of course, the king saw us and granted his permission for me to stay.

Within a few weeks, Hieki was born. As the time for his birth drew near, Inusya seemed to be in more pain, but the baby's birth pushed her near death. The bleeding took much longer than usual to stop, so I gathered from the midwives. They hurried about the home within the palace walls for hot water, herbs, towels, sheets, bowls and pots, and they all seemed greatly concerned, even after the boy was born. He was brought to the main room, cleaned up and presented to his father. Makoto rose up on her feet to see him and made small noises of approval, but Kaos immediately turned his face toward the other room, then to the woman.

"Kaos, we are afraid for her." The woman spoke in a whisper to Kaos, trying to keep Makoto from hearing.

"Why are you afraid? What's wrong with my mother?"

"Makoto, will you take your brother and sit over there while I check on your mother?"

"Papa, what's wrong with her? Can I see her? What's going on?"

"Makoto, please." Kaos struggled to keep the worry off his voice, but sacrificed his smooth demeanor for it and yelled at his daughter. I looked from one to the other and chose to sit with Makoto and Hieki.

I had a difficult time hearing what was said in the other room, but I already knew things were bad. I nuzzled Makoto and she burst into silent tears, shaking softly, trying to keep it rhythmic and not upset her new brother.

Makoto didn't get to see her mother for almost two more days. She went in, eyes full of hope, but came out looking shaken, as if nothing were right with her world anymore.

"Byakuen, come take a walk with me." She called to me over her shoulder, half out of the door. When we left the palace gates, which we weren't supposed to do, she began to talk.

"Mama told me she wouldn't be able to see me or Hieki grow up, Byakuen. I know a lot of animals never know their fathers, so I'm luckier than you, but I still feel terrible." She kneeled and looked at my face, almost looking up at me. "I also feel bad because I haven't noticed how much you've grown, you're already adult sized." She stood and mounted me, running her hands over my shoulders. "I hope you don't mind me doing this, Byakuen. I know Papa can't afford a horse, and they're all for the king's men anyway." I started walking back to the palace and Makoto gripped my fur tightly, taking deep breaths, so I slowed my gait, giving her enough time to dry her tears before we got home.

That night, Kaos took me out and into the mountains. He explained to me that he had a dream that commanded him to do so, but he knew he wouldn't make it home without me as a guide. Once near the top of one mountain, he sat and began to meditate. His palace guard sword jutted out from his side, catching a little moonlight on the hilt, but the light began to grown and I felt my fur stand up.

"Kaos, I would like to apologize for your wife's impending death and for calling you away from her side, but we need you as well." The voice whispered by us and seemed to come from the luminous source. The light began to take shape, slowly turning into a robed woman with an intricate hairdo.

"I knew you would come, though I hoped to petition for my wife." Kaos rose slowly, hands at his side, and faced the woman.

"Again, I am sorry for your loss, but we need you, Kaos. I am Miekamieru, and I have come to make you Guardian."

"And I cannot be Guardian and keep my wife."

"You were once a monk, you must be celibate again to perform at your peak. We will assist you as much as we are able. Please give me your sword." She extended her arms and began to glow again as the light that came to us. Kaos drew his sword and placed it in her outstretched hands. We watched she and it begin to glow, the radiance of the goddess far surpassing that of the moon, that of any number of fires, and, as it died down, the sword retained that light. "Kaos, Guardian of the Ningenkai, we present you with our sword of light." She handed over the sword as the glow faded, revealing a bronze version of his own sword. The hilt was now adorned with rings, wings and a ball.

"Thank you, Miekamieru. I will carry out my task to the best of my abilities."

"Remember, you are not alone in your journey. Byakuen will aid you." The goddess then came to me and stroked my fur. "You will live as long as the ningenkai needs you, my fair cat. Be warned, you, as the good guardian, will always have a counterpart with strength and wit equal to your own." She backed away from me and began to lose shape.

"Wait, how much longer can I have with my wife?"

"She will die as the sun sets tomorrow. Again, I am sorry, Guardian." With that, she left us in the dark.

We began the long walk home, both saddened at our pending loss. Once home, Kaos entered Inusya's room. The woman attending her spoke in hushed tones about how Inusya had improved since he left. Kaos shooed the woman away and demanded privacy for the two of them.

"Kaosu, my love."

"Hush, my sweet one."

"What's that? Did the goddess give that to you?" She paused long enough for me to know Kaos was surprised. "I had a visitor this evening while you were gone, that's why I'm better. They tell me you've been promoted."

"I take this position with a heavy heart."

"When I met you, you were devout. Being married to me hasn't changed that. Besides, I knew you had something else to do with your life than to be with me." They were nearly silent after that. I tried not to hear their cries of mourning and their last cries of pleasure as they made love and comforted each other that night.

Everyone in the house awoke in good spirits based on Inusya's seemingly miraculous recovery. Makoto took Hieki in to see his mother, but she started to cry as soon as the boy was in her arms.

"Mama, please don't cry. Everything will be alright, won't it?" Makoto took her brother back and cradled him, trying to soothe him and keep him from being upset.

"Makoto, please give your brother to your father or one of the women." She obeyed her mother, worry apparent on her face and returned in a very short time. Inusya began talking before her daughter entered the room. "Makoto, my beautiful first born, I've never meant to scold you so much, nothing can be wrong with following in both mine and your father's footsteps. I've always been proud of you."

"Mama, what's wrong? You speak as if you..."

"I've seen my last sunrise, my dear child. Your father has a job to do, ordained Guardian of the ningenkai by the gods themselves. He must be a monk again, without many pleasures in life..."

"Without you, his true love. Mama, that's so unfair. Papa can do anything despite anything, don't they know that?"

"Child, we cannot change their minds, it's been decided. Your father will take good care of you. He and his followers will provide a good home for you and together you will preserve this realm for your brother's children, for your own children. I knew this would happen when I first held your father's hand."

"Mama," Makoto's eyes glistened with tears as she spoke. "Mama, you must be delirious. You're going to be okay."

"Kaos, please come get your daughter." Inusya yelled loud enough for someone beyond the door to hear. "Makoto, I love you. You will be the perfect woman, I am sure of it."

The girl started to protest, but Kaos took her elbow with his free hand and gently led her away, closing the door behind him.

Once out of earshot of anyone in the house, Kaos released her arm and Makoto drew in breath as if she had been denied it for the whole walk. "What is going on, Papa? Why is Mama better and still talking of dying?"

Kaos kneeled before his daughter and showed her his new sword. He told a brief version of last night's happenings. "And that's why your mother is speaking that way, because it's the truth." He rose and took her face in his hands. "Your mother has always known, she is special, as you and I are special, as your brother will be special."

I knew I hadn't gone unnoticed and padded toward them, rubbing my head against Makoto's side and she wrapped her arms around me in response. I felt my fur moisten as she cried softly and we stood there with her until she cried herself to sleep on my back.


End file.
